Chrome update for Android and iOS adds data save and Translate features
Google is rolling out an update for its Chrome browser app on Android and iOS to make it more efficient on data, and to be able to translate foreign languages within web pages.
An increasing number of people use their smartphones as a primary web browsing tool. It’s as many as a fifth of all adults in the US, according to a recent Pew Internet report.
That’s the report Google has cited in its recent Chrome blog post concerning the latest Chrome app update. The leading new feature is the ability to enable a ‘Reduce data usage’ mode.
When enabled from the options menu, this feature uses data compression and bandwidth management to reduce data usage on your Android or iOS device by up to 50 percent. It also enables safe browsing for protection against dodgy web pages.
The tool provides a handy tracked to see how much bandwidth you’ve save over the past month.
The second new feature relates to the Chrome app for iOS. Now, like the Android app, you can translate foreign web pages within Chrome with the click of a (virtual) button.
Finally, a new feature for Android owners. You can now create direct shortcuts to your favourite websites from the homescreen. What’s more, some websites will open in full screen and as stand-alone apps in the multitasking menu.
Google’s new version of the Chrome app will be rolling out over the coming days on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
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